Method of and means for hardening bodies having the shape of solids of revolution



A. G. E. HULTGREN. METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR HARDENING B ODIES HAVING THE SHAPE OF SOLIDS 0F REVOLUTION. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 15. 19I9.

1,342, 1 12. Patented June 1,1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET ly l INVENTO R i %/m w By Attorneys,

@Mom \I w A. G. E. HULTGREN.

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR HARDENING BODIES HAVING THE SHAPE OF SOLIDS 0F REVOLUTION. APPLICATION FILED MAR- I51 I919.

. 1 342 1 12, Patented June 1, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I 16 71 II I I I '16 J5 J5 I INVENTOR By Attorneys,

aM/sm Q a/Q A. G. E. HULTGREN. METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR HARDENING BODIES HAVING THE SHAPE OF SOLIDS 0F REVOLUTION.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 15, I9I9. A

1,342, 1 1 2. Patented June 1, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

III:

INVENTOR- I By Attorneys,

6m QWJQ Kw UNITED STATES PATENT perms;

AXEL GUSTAF EMANUEL HULTGREN, or GOT-TENBORG, swnnniw, ASSIGNORV T0 AKTIEIBOLAGET SVENSKA KULLAGERFABRIKEN, or eo'r'rnnnone, SWEDEN,

A CORPORATION OF SWEDEN.

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR HARDENING BODIES HAVING- THE SHAPE OF SOLIDS OF REVOLUTION. 1

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 15, 1919. Serial No. 282,822.

Sweden, residing at Gottenborg, in the Kingdom of Sweden, have invented new and useful Improvements in Methods of and 'means for Hardening Bodies Having the Shape of Solids of Revolution, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a method of and means for /hardening bodies having the shape of solids of revolution.

- In my copending U. S. patent application Serial Number 177,071 (since issued as Patent No. 1,309,137, granted July 8, 1919), a. method of hardening bodies having the shape of solids of revolution, particularly bearing rings of ball and roller bearings, is described consisting, chiefly,- in that the body, before it is introduced into the hardening liquid, is caused to rotate and thereupon is immersed into the hardening liquid in such manner that it will move therein, while rotating, in a direction forming an angle with the-axis of rotation of the body.

The object of said method is to effect a uniform and efiective cooling of all parts of the body, thus preventing as far as possible deformation and warping of the body.

The apparatus by means of which the bodies are caused to rotate consists, as stated in said patent of an inclined track or channel along which the bodies are caused to roll, the velocity of rotation of the body, when descending into the hardening liquid, depending, partly, on the length of said track or channel and, partly, on the radial size of the body. Since said velocity ought to be rather great, also the length of the track must be great, especially in case of bodies "having great dimensions. This is, however, an inconvenlence, partly 1n view of the requlslte space, and partly from the reason that the time during which the bodies are rolling, before they reach the hardening liquid, will be comparatively long, so that cooling 'of the bodies below the hardening temperature is to be feared.

Furthermore, in order to attain uniform which results in that the size of the portion ofthe inclined track posnzioned in the hardening liquid as well as of the hardening vessel will be great.

One object ofthis invention is to impart a great velocity of rotation to the bodies within a small space and in a short time, pefoigie being introduced into the hardening iqui Another object is .to maintain the rotary movement, after the bodies have been immersed in the hardening liquid, during a sufliciently long time and within a limited space.

According to this invention the body, before being introduced into the hardening liquid, is caused to touch a member moving with great speed, preferably a rotating disk, which owing to the frictional contact with the body imparts to the same a rapid rotary -movement, the body then being removed from' the moving member and introduced into the hardening liquid in such manner that the body, while continuing its rotation, is caused to move in the hardening liquid in a direction forming anangle with the axis of rotation of the body.

Furthermore, the invention comprises a channel or the like placed in the hardening bath, the bottom of said channel being; so arranged and shaped that therapidly revolving body, when touching said bottom,

' tends by traction therewith'to roll thereon, but this tendency cannot take efiect at once owing to the inertia of the rotatingbody which resists its bodily displacement along the channel, but gradually as the traction becomes effective the body rolls along the channel to a pointof'emergencel-" Thus'the timeduring which the body rotates in the hardening bath is prolonged without requiring a long channel, which 'would necessitate a vesselof considerable dimensions.

Some preferred embodiments 'of devices for carrying the invention into practice are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which: i

Figure 1 is aside' view of a device by means of which thebodyis set to rotate; Fig. 2 is a horizontal view'ofsaid device.

' Patented June 1, 1920. a

hardening it is necessary that the rotary a movement of the bodies be maintained dur- Fig. -3 1s a part al endv ew of the device. ing a sufficiently long time, after the bodies Fig. 4 is a partialv end view of asimilarIdehave been immersed in the hardening liquid, vice showing a somewhat modified form "of l the mechanism guiding the bodies. Fig. 5

' is a'horizontal view thereof. Fig. 6 1s a liquid and supported by a vertical shaft 2.

Said shaft journaled on the hardening vessel 3, is set to rotate by means of any suit able driving device (not shown). For the greater part the disk 1 is surrounded by a protecting cover or cap 4, to the upper side of which guiding members 5 are secured,

' receiving the longitudinally movable shanks of a rod 6 or the like, bent in U-form, Attached to the ends of said shanks is a frame 7 adapted to guide the ring 8 to be hardened, which in the case shown in the drawing consists of the outer bearing ring of a radial ball-bearing. The cap 4 is supported by stays 9 secured to the hardening vessel 3, the cap being provided at the top w1th an aperture 10 allowing the ring 8 to touch the rotating disk 1.

On using the device, the guiding frame 7 is adjusted in or near the axis of rotation of the disk 1, and then the frame together with the ring placed therein in contact with the disk is moved radially toward the periphery of the disk by the aid of the rod 6. Owing to the frictional contact with the disk 1 the ring 8 is set to rotate with a speed increasingaccording as it approaches the periphery of the disk, the ring then being pushed beyond the edge of the disk and permitted to fall down, while rotating, into the hardening bath. The upper surface of the disk 1 need not necessarily be plane but may, instead thereof, be for instance conical. In this case its axis of rotation may, preferably, be inclined in such manner that the generatrix of the conical surface along which the ring'8 is moving has horizontal position.

On hardening extended tubular bodies, as for instance broad bearing rings of ball or roller bearings having small diameter, the

axis of rotation of the disk 1, in case of said disk being plane, is preferably inclined, while, in case of the disk being conical, said axis is fplaced vertically so as to. cause the solid 0 revolution, when-brought out of contact with the disk 1, to move in the hardening bath in a position in which its axis forms an angle with the surface of the hardening bath. By this the access of the hardening liquid to the inner parts of the tubular body is facilitated.

In order to decrease the friction between the ring 8 and the guiding device the latter may, preferably, be provided with movable guiding members, as for instance rollers or rings'the positions mentioned above in .the like. A device of this kind is shown in movable along the frame'14 against the ac-'- tion of a sprin 17, and on account thereof the ring 8 may e inserted between the pairs of rollers and retained by' them so as to touch the disk 1. The rollers of each pair are conical, the small end surfaces facing each other so as to guide the ring in radial as well as in axial direction. Of course, the rollers may instead thereof be cylindrical; in this case, however, one or more additional pairs of rollers are necessary forguiding the ring 8 in axial direction. The'pairs of rollers 11., 12 and 13 should be so situated in relation to the disk 1, that the geometrical axis of the ring 8 intersects the axis of rotation of the disk 1, or in other words so,

that the movement of the center of the ring 8,. on moving the frames 14, 16 and the. ring 8, always takes place in the direction of a radius of the disk 1, since otherwise forces will arise tending, to prevent therotary movement of the ring-8 caused by the disk 1. The movement of the frame work 14, 16 with the guiding rollers 11,12, 13 and the ring 8 along the guiding bars 15 is effected by means of a stirrup 18 serving as a handle and attached to the frame 14. Pivotally journaled to one shank'of the stirrup 18 is an arm 19 the free end of which is connected, by means of a pliable connecting member, preferably, a thin steel wire 20, with the movable frame 16 which, consequently, on displacing the arm 19 to the position shown by dotted lines, is moved together with the rollers 13 in the direction away fromthe rollers 11 and 12.

In order that the device may be useful for nected with the frame 14, the rings thereby being capable of assuming for each size of relation to the rotating disk 1.

After the rings 8 are set to rotate speedily in the manner afore-mentioned and permitted to fall freely down into the hardening bath, they may, preferably, be received by a track or'channel 21, Fig. 6, the bottom of which is so inclined and shaped that the ring 8, while sliding, is caused to roll up the said bottom. At the upper end of thechannel there is, preferably, placed a basket 22 or the like collecting the hardened rings and by means of which they may be removed from the hardening bath. Preferably, the channel 21 is adjustably mounted in the hardening vessel 3, for instance by means of a pivotally journaled pin 23 placed at one end of the channel and a screw spindle 24 arranged at the other end of the same in such manner that the inclination of the channel may be adjusted to various speeds of rotation of the rings, so that the said speed is reduced about to zero, when the rings rolled beyond the edge of the channel down into the basket 22. The inclination should not, however, be so great as to annihilate the forward movement of the ring 8 at any point of the channel, since it is necessary that the ring, in order to attain eflective hardening, be incessantly brought into contact with fresh, unheated portions of the hardening liquid.

In Fig. 7 a somewhat modified form of the channel is illustrated. In this case the channel is provided with an extension 25 on which the ring 8 when leaving the channel 21 is caused to roll in a direction opposite to its direction of movement on the channel 21. By this the travel of the ring through the hardening bath will be prolonged. The

- collecting basket 22 is placed at the lower causing the body to free end of the extension 25.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is 1. Method of hardening bodies having the shape of solids of revolution, consisting in causing the body to be hardened to touch a rotating member so as to cause said body to rotate, and then introducing the body, while rotating, into a hardening liquid.

2. Method of hardening bodies having the shape of solids of revolution, consisting in causing the body to be hardened to touch a rotating member nearthe axis of rotation of said member so as to cause said body to rotate, moving said body toward the outer portion of said member so as to increase sucthe speed of rotation of the body,

cessively while rotatand then introducing the body, ing, into a hardening liquid.

3. Method of hardening bodies having the shape of solids of revolution, consisting in causing the body to be hardened to touch a rotating member so as to cause said body to rotate, guiding the said body in radial and axial direction in relation to the rotating member during the rotation, and introducing the body, while rotating, into a hardening liquid. 7

4. Method of hardening bodies having the shape of solids of revolution, consisting in rotating member near the axis of rotation of said member so as tocause said body to rotate, moving said body toward the outer portion of said member so as to increase sucbe hardened to touch a' cessively the speed of rotation of the body, guiding the body in radial and axial direction in relation to the rotating member during the rotation, and introducing the body, while rotating, into a hardening liquid.

5. Method of hardening bodies having the shape of solids of revolution, consisting in causing the body to be hardened to touch a rotating member so as to cause said body to rotate, removing the body from said rotating member, introducing the body while rotating into a hardening liquid, and causing the body to roll in said liquid and to slide therein in a direction opposite to that of the rolling movement.

6. Method of hardening bearing rings of ball and roller bearings, consisting in causing the ring to touch a rotating disk near the axis of the disk so as to cause the ring to rotate, moving the ring toward the periphery of the disk sively the speed of rotation of the ring, guiding the ring in axial and radial direction in relation to the disk during the rotation, removing the ring from the disk, allowing the ring to drop into a hardening liquid, and causing the ring to roll in said liquid and to slide therein in a direction opposite to that of the rolling movement.

7. Apparatus for hardening bodies having the shape of solids of revolution, comprising a hardening bath, a rotating member placed above the surface of said bath, and means for holding the body to be hardened in contact with said member, and for dropping the rotating body into the bath.

8. Apparatus for hardening bodies having the shape of solids of revolution, comprising a hardening bath, a rotating member placed above the surface of said bath, and means for holding the body to be hardened in contact with said rotating member, and for moving the body relatively to the 'rotat ing member, said means being movable from the axis of revolution of said member toward the outline of the same.

9. Apparatus for hardening ing the shape of solids of revolution, comprising a hardening bath, a rotating disk placed above the surface of the said bath, and means for holding the body to be hardened in contact with said disk, and for moving the body relatively to the disk in a direction parallel to a radius of said disk.

10. Apparatus for hardening bodies having the shape of solids of revolution, comprising a hardening bath, a rotating disk placed above the surface of said bath, rollers arranged in pairs and adapted to support the body to be hardened in contact with the said disk, and means for moving the body relatively to the disk in a direction parallel to a radius of said disk.

so as to increase succesbodies hav 11. Apparatus for hardening bodies having the shape of solids of revolution, comprising a hardening bath, a rotating disk placed above the surface ofsaid bath, conical rollers arranged in pairs and adapted to support the body to be hardened in contact with the said disk, the small end surfaces of the rollers of each pair facing each other,

and means for moving the body relatively .to the disk in a direction parallel to a radius of said disk.

13. Apparatus for hardening bearing rings of ball and roller bearings, comprising a hardening bath, a rotating disk placed above the surface of said bath, conical rollers adjustably arranged in pairs and adapted to support the bearing ring in contact with the said disk so as to set the ring to rotate, the small end surfaces of the rollers of each pair facing each other, and means for moving the ring relatively to the disk in a direction parallel to a radius of said disk.

14. Apparatus for hardening bearing rings of ball and roller bearings, comprising a hardening bath, a rotating disk placed above the surface of saidbath, means for holding the ring in contact with said disk,

so as to set the ring to rotate, means for moving the ring radially in relation to the disk, so as to cause the .ring, while rotating,

"name.

to drop into the hardening liquid, and means disposed in the hardening bath and guiding the ring while rolling on said means and sliding thereon in a direction opposite to that of the rolling movement.

15. Apparatus for hardening rings comprising a hardening bath, a rotating disk placed above the surface of said bath, rollers arranged in pairs and adapted to support the ring in contact with the disk so as to set the ring to rotate, means for moving the ring radially in relation to the disk so as to cause the fing, while rotating, to drop into the hardening bath, and an inclined channel disposed adjustably in the hardening bath and guiding the ring, while rolling on said channel and sliding thereon in a direction opposite to that of the rolling movement.

16. Apparatus for hardening rings comprising a hardening bath, a rotating disk placed above the surface of said bath, rollers arranged in pairs and adapted to support the ring in contact with the disk so as to set the ring to rotate, means for moving the ring radially in relation to the disk so as to cause the ring, while rotating, to drop into the hardening bath, an inclined channel disposed adjustably in the hardening bath and guiding the ring, While rolling on said channel and sliding thereon in a direction op-' posite to that of the rolling movement, and an extension of said channel adapted to guide the ring in a direction opposite to its movement on the channel.

In testimony whereof I have signed m AXEL GUSTAF EMANUEL HULTGREN. 

